The present invention relates an input device for inputting travel destination into a navigational device.
A device for the input of a travel destination into a navigational device is described in, for example, Operating Instructions xe2x80x9cBerlin Travel Pilot RG 05xe2x80x9d, Blaupunktwerke GmbH, Hildesheim. In this device, travel destinations are presented to the user in pure text form for his selection of a travel destination, that is, designations of travel destinations are given
The device for input according to the example embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that the user is shown, via an optical output, an image for each of a plurality of possible travel destinations. In that way, the user can inform himself better on possible travel destinations. In addition, it is now not required that the user know the name or address of a travel destination. It is sufficient if he is familiar with the optical appearance. This is especially an advantage with hotels and restaurants whose names may change, and with tourist attractions such as castles or museums, whose outer appearance may be better known than their exact name designation.
It is also advantageous that a plurality of images can be simultaneously indicated on the optical display, so that a comparison can be made by the user between possible travel destinations.
It is also advantageous that the images that can be shown can be supplemented by text information. That gives the user the possibility to inform himself on the name of the illustrated travel destination. It is also possible to obtain more extensive data, for example, the rates of a hotel or the day a museum is closed can be given.
Furthermore, it is advantageous that one of the criteria for retrieval of the images is a predefined distance of a travel destination. This can avoid the output of too many possible travel destinations, and thus clarity can remain assured to the user. Furthermore, it is advantageous that one of the criteria for retrieval of the images is that a travel destination belongs to a selectable category of travel destinations. Through this, the search by the user can be speeded up because it can limit itself to a category depending on the choice of the user, as, for instance, hotels or museums.
It is further advantageous that the images can be retrieved at least partially via a radio connection. For one thing, the user can retrieve updated images via the radio connection. Furthermore, in this manner, the required storage space, which has to be present in a vehicle equipped with this device, can be reduced.
Another advantage is that a plurality of images can be brought in via an exchangeable data carrier of the device. This data carrier can have selected travel destinations, in line with the user""s travel intentions, put on it even before the trip starts.
It is advantageous, too, that the images are photographically realistic pictures, since a high recognition value of the object is fulfilled for the user.
It is advantageous that the images are simplified illustrations of the travel destination, but yet they show individual features of the travel destination. Thereby the storage space requirement of the stored image can be reduced, but individual recognition by a user in the light of individual features remains possible.
It is advantageous, furthermore, that, for different times of the day, different images of a travel destination are stored and that the output of the image depends on the time of day, in order to improve the recognition by a user. For it is true that travel destinations can look very different according to what time of day it is. A building, which, for example, is illuminated at night can change tremendously compared to its illumination by daylight.